Elianna
Once everyone aside fromLandon was awake, we all sauntered into the living area of the townhouse to plan out our next move.
As everyone took their seats, I couldn’t help but stare at my mate’s arm, where the gash from the arrow had thankfully already begun to heal. I reached out and gently brushed my thumb along it, and he turned his head to stare down at me.
Jace took my chin between his fingers, lifting my gaze to his. “It’s healing, my Lia. I’m okay.” He kissed my forehead.
“We need to find out how much wyvern blood they have in Isla. Luckily, we know they cannot replenish what they have lost, and without Nox in their grasp, it’s highly unlikely they can obtain more,” I announced to the group as my eyes remained on Jace’s.
“We wouldn’t necessarily have a way of knowing that, but it’s safe to assume that they don’t have much left if they used a significant amount in your most recent battle. It is possible they traveled with the remainder of what was left,” Veli said from across the room.
The corners of my lips tipped up at that. “Then they are either out or will be soon enough.” I turned to face them. “We ignited their supply wagons, so anything they were traveling with was likely incinerated.”
Veli blinked, and her face resembled something like satisfaction, which was incredibly rare to see on the sorceress. “Excellent.” Her stare then locked in on my own.
Ignystae?She mouthed the word.
I answered her with a dip of my chin, and she crossed her arms as a knowing grin formed on her face.
“This isn’t over yet, though. Not even close. Even with Kai dead, the queen still remains, and whether she is of the Valderre line or not, she likely will not inform the kingdom of Kai’s death as it would threaten her claim to remain on the throne since she isn’t a Valderre by blood. Though I doubt the people would retaliate after everything they’ve witnessed from the castle in only a few short months.”
My eyes flew over to where Avery and Finn sat, making sure that they didn’t flinch or shudder in response to the casual mention of Kai’s end. To my surprise, they seemed unphased, which meant they were being honest this morning when I told them the truth of it all. Something resembling pride bloomed in my chest.
“We need to move as many as possible beyond the mountains. Things are different now. Adler is still out there, and the queen will be desperate. She may make reckless decisions when she learns of her son’s death,” Jace announced.
I stiffened at the fact that what I had done was extremely reckless when I was trapped in my own desperate rage andneed for revenge. He eyed me warily for a moment, as if sensing my thoughts down our tether, but then focused his attention on the group before us.
“Will they all go?” I asked. “Beyond the mountains.”
Jace sighed. “Likely not, and I won't force them. We will make them aware of how the threat has shifted, and they can make their own choices on whether to stay or evacuate. The crown will know that Silcrowe has been rebuilt now, but our other hidden villages should remain safe.”
“How do you move people to the valley?” I asked.
Zaela cleared her throat. “There is a passageway through the base of the Ezranian Mountains directly beyond the courthouse, built into the peak. It’s hidden within the city. We never originally planned to rebuild it to what it is today, but now Ellecaster serves mainly as a gate to our true home.”
“The path is narrow and rocky in most parts and takes about a day to get through on foot before you are out on the other side, but it’s safe. Especially since we’re the only ones with access,” Gage cut in.
My eyes flared. “Is that how Alaia was discovered to begin with?”
Jace let out a chuckle. “It was actually. A few curious boys wandered too far from home one day many decades ago and were missing for almost a week. The people were distraught and unsure if they had been taken by some kind of creature, but they returned speaking of a valley beyond the peaks.”
“What happened then?” I asked.
Zaela gave me a knowing smirk. “No one believed them, of course, until they became entirely too irritating regarding what they had seen. Their persistence finally convinced the commander at the time to listen to what they had to say. He secretly sent soldiers beyond the mountains the very next day to find that the children were speaking the truth.”
I smiled. “Those boys were heroes.”
Zae nodded proudly. “They were. And continued to be for the remainder of their lives. One of them was my father, who, as you know, grew to be the commander of our race before Jace.”
My eyes flared as my head flew in my mate’s direction. “You said your mother was here, on this side of the mountains, when…”
Sadness radiated down the bond. “She saw it as a cage, even though it was meant to keep everyone safe. By the time there was enough built and ready for citizens to uproot everything and move to Alaia, my mother was an adult. She made her choice even when my uncle begged her to go. After she was attacked, they were finally able to convince her to move and raise me there, but by then, the damage was done.”
His pain echoed into my own, and I couldn’t bear seeing him like this for a moment longer. I laced my fingers with his and gave them a squeeze. “We’ll make them pay. For all our loved ones.” My eyes moved to meet Zaela from across the room on the last word, knowing that she had lost her father as well.
Her lips tilted up as she quickly looked away. “My mother will be pleased to have found herself with several new house guests. She’s been itching to fill the vacant rooms. Time hasn’t exactly allowed us to be home since Jace took command.”
“Gods, I miss her cooking,” Gage announced.
